SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES AND OPTOELECTRONICS - 2020/1

Module Overview

Expected prior learning:  Module EEE2042 – Electronic and Photonic Devices, or equivalent learning, is advisory but not required.

Module purpose:  Semiconductor devices and optoelectronics play a major technology enabling amongst other things the internet. The course is given via a series of lectures and aims to give a background to the interaction of light with key photonic materials and devices.

Module provider

Electrical and Electronic Engineering

Module Leader

CAREY James (Elec Elec En)

Number of Credits: 15

ECTS Credits: 7.5

Framework: FHEQ Level 6

JACs code: H640

Module cap (Maximum number of students): N/A

Module Availability

Semester 2

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

None.

Module content

Indicative content includes the following.

Part A: OPTICAL COMMUNICATIONS (15h)  

[1-4] Light interaction with photonic materials, optical fibres & the basics of waveguiding

[5-6] Optical Sources and Detectors: Introduction to the engineering parameters of these devices to enable understanding of transmitters and receivers.

[7-8] Noise in Optical Systems: types of noise in optical systems and differences between electrical and optical systems.

[9-11] Intensity Modulation / Direct Detection – transmitters and receivers: the basics of system implementations, types of receivers, equivalent circuits, Signal to Noise Ratio in systems.

[12-14]Systems: Binary systems, optical power budgets, WDM, Fibre amplifiers, polarisation issues.

[15] Future systems – new and novel optical technologies

Part B: SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES (15h)

[1 -3] Revision of semiconductor physics

[4 - 7] Transistor operation, fabrication  and modern architectures

[8 - 10] Low dimensional device physics and quantum engineering

[11 – 12] Fabrication of Low dimensional devices

[13 – 14] Heterojunction and quantum well lasers

[15] Revision

 

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

Not applicable: students failing a unit of assessment resit the assessment in its original format.

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy for this module is designed to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate the following.

·         The examination measures their level of understanding of the lectured material and their ability to apply it successfully to problems.

 

Thus, the summative assessment for this module consists of the following.

·         2-hour, closed-book written examination.

 

Formative assessment and feedback

For the module, students will receive formative assessment/feedback in the following ways:

·         Students are provided with exercise sheets and model solutions via the module's SurreyLearn site.

·         Some timetabled lecture sessions are devoted to attempting these in a tutorial setting.

          ·        Dedicated question-and-answer sessions occur in other lectures.

 

Module aims

• The module aims are as follows.  Part A of the course is intended to provide students with an understanding of optical communications at an engineering level, in order that they are aware of the fundamental building blocks of an optical communications system, as well as some of the limitations.  Part B of the course is complementary, describing more detailed descriptions of modern semiconductor devices  both in terms of the physical operation as well as the geometry and construction of the devices.

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

The learning and teaching strategy is designed to enable students to achieve a working knowledge of state-of-the-art optoelectronic devices and of optical systems for application in industry or research.

Learning and teaching methods include the following.

• Lectures - 3  hours per week for 10 weeks

Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester.

Reading list

Reading list for SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES AND OPTOELECTRONICS : http://aspire.surrey.ac.uk/modules/eee3041

Programmes this module appears in

Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2020/1 academic year.